Automatic humidifier



July 8, 1958 An. `GEEN AUTOMATIC HUMIDIFIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 1'7, 1954 July 8, 1958 Filed Nov.l 17. 1954 A. J. GEEN AUTOMATIC HUMIDIFIER 2 sheets-sheet 2 l IN VEN TOR. (ZM/zar Jeefz;

BY M r ym ;tention. Y i f f It-isa more specic objectof the invention toV provide apparatus for adding moistureto the warm airdelivered .byl a furnace, which comprises a rwater ltrough 'adapted a v to.. bemounted in the moving currentof air heated by 7 ithe'furnaceaywater feed lineconnected toast/atenA supply and havingputomatically .controlled means fore Vdeliverabove humidier construction for u 1 ofitheztypezde'scrilhed;wherei Patented J uly- 8,

AUTOMATIC HUMIDIFIER' Arthur J. Geen, Elmhurstrlll., assignor to Drain yEnter- Y I prises, Inc., Addison, Ill., a corporation of. Illinoisl Y' l'Application November 17, 1954, Serial No. 469,409V

s claims. (01.2611-911)V This invention relates-to heating'systemsand ismore y It is a general object of the v,inventionto vprovide-'a humidifier for use with a warmair Afurnace which: is

Vautomatically operative upon -delivery of warm ar'by the., furnace and which will add afsatisfa'ctor-y' percentage of moisture for circulation with theair.

lt, is .another object of the invention -toprovide a lhumi'diher -for use with a warmv air furnace .which can be readily installedin'the furnace and which, vafter initial` Y installationl and adjustment, willv operate-automatically upon operation of vthe furnace; vwith anmnimurnofiatying water throughthe feed line to the trough andfor maintaining thelevel thereof in lthe trough constannland 1 mechanism, operated by movement ofthe Yheate'dwair fwhich' forces at least somefofthe air delivered-bythe furnace into contact with thel water delivered? tothe trough.: .1 i

It isfa still more more specific object of the invention toprvide ahumidiiier for incorporationin za circulat- .ing'airfurnace which comprises awater trough, supported within the path` of the airI delivered bythe-'furnace,the trough being connected to awaterlsixpplyand a Ydevice for maintaining the same ate a constantulevel f vin the trough, anair driven .fan'and associatedfxnember's forreceiving. a portionA ofthe air through-wan apei'tue Yinthe trough and for dischargingthe.samewadjacntfthe :surface:,of Vthe water therein, andamemben associated with the'. fan for splashing the water into the p athof the f-'Itisa still .further object of the invention tof-:provide a. -humidier .for-use. with a lwarm iar ifu'rnace: which comprises a ,circular waterftroughadapted to beg-mounted infthe, airl stream in Vtlj1 e .furnace, a. line, connecting the trough/ toria Water supply and, having; associatedYV there? with mechanism for supplyingl water to: the trough,attraV constantlevel, a circularffan mountedfor,freerotation the center of the troughandadaptedto 10 v c areand maintenance. Y

lthereof, being` broken away to chemicals'VV m. gy

VIt isstillanotherobject of the invention to provide a'hurnidiler forV use vwith a Warm air furnacewhichgis f inexpensive to manufacture, whichrnay be readily co'mbined wtih various types of furnaces, which is simpleand positiveinits actionyand which requires a minimumrof TheseY and other objects Vand advantages of the invention will be apparent frorn'aV consideration of the apparatus which is shown by wayof illustration in the accompanying'drawings, wherein:v

Fig. 1V an elevation of ,a warmair. furnace having incorporated therein a humidifier whichY embodies the principal features vof the invention, ,portions `of the furnace being-shown schematicallyand certain portions show the location of certain parts ofthe humidifier; 'Y 1 v Fig. 2 is an elevation of the humidifier to an enlarged scale with portions thereof being broken away;.

f Fig. 3 is a crossrsection on the line 33"of Fig. 2;

. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, *to an enlargedscale; v Y

villustrated aiwarm air furnace 10 with which the humidivfyingpparatus' is combined or lon which the same is installed t`o`provide Va supply of water and to form it into af'vapo'r "or :fine mist formixing with the air which*y is heated: by :the furnace.

vrThe furnace 10 comprises ahousing llconsisting of a burner section 12 and a lilter section 13. The'burner section" 12;,is `provided with a combustion chamber 14 fhavingi azconventional burner 15"'mounted therein which heats the air deliveredto thesection 12 bythe fan' 16.

The: fan 16j`is housed'in the hlter section 13 atthe endk ofi th'epassageway 17Y which extends betweenthe` same :andthe burner section 12. Cold airis drawnfinto the filter section 13, by operation of the fan 16, through `the cold air ireturnfconduit indicated at 18Awhich is connected to thecold airregisters inthe system. The burner section: 12 of the furnace 10 is provided at the top with a bonnet 19 through which the airy heated by the burner 15 ipasses andV is distributed to the warm air registers through'- thefsys'tem. Thel heated air rises from'the combustion chambery 14T andpas'sesthrough the Vplenum area Yin'rm'ediately above thel same' and Vinto the warm fair Vbonnet 19;l

The '-vaporizing unit 20 Vvof the humidifier comprises' a f :Waterpang or-'t'r'ough 21y which is adaptedto be mounted in the bonnet 19 ofthe furnace section 12 or in the plenmnfarea; above the combustion 'chamber 14 :where it islilocatedin'the upwardly moving heated airrstrearii. Thewate'rfp'an 21 ischannel-shapedincrossy section and preferably in the lform of a circular'truhf as shown.

- `Itiiss'uppliedwithfa predetermined quantityv offwater 22 which isf-delivered'throughafeed line 23` which extends from the bottoni o f the pan'2'1 through the'mounting platee-rbnckcti24-andv is secured thereto'at 25'. 'The panll; -fadjusted or.: leveled whenfinstalled lthe fur fan member 30 which'is mounted in freely rotatable relation for movement by air moving upwardly through the opening 29. The bearing bracket 28 is provided with an antifriction bearing 31 for receiving a, pin or shaft 32 depending from a bailefplateY l33 which forms a topVV wall foriftlie 'fa'n 30. "l`hei'bafflel plate'33 extendsto aV peripheral sidewall 34 which is provided withaplurality Hof circumferentially spaced curved Vfan 'blades 3,75'. e The bathe plate 33 and the blades 35 are arranged so that air moving upwardly into the centerof the fan and strikingV the plate 33 is detlected outwardly and engages the blades 35, thereby causing the fan 30 to rotate on its pivot shaft 32. The heightrof the Vfan 30'relative to the level o f thewater V22 may be adjusted 4by means of adjusting nuts 36 which tsecure the threaded upper end of the pivot shaft 32 to the center of the plate 33. A paddle-like agitator or splash' member 37 is mounted at one end adjacent theouter periphery of the -fan 30 l..

top adapted to engage the depending operatnig pin 42 f of the valve. The pin 42 is slidably received in a slotted end portion 43 of the water line and provides the outlet for the water. The'valve'p'in 42 is adapted to 'beraised and lowered by the oat 41 so that its upper end` opens or closes the peripherally spaced axially `extending outlet slots 43 as required, to maintain the water in the oat tank 40 at a predetermined level and in turn to maintain the level of the water 22 in the pan 21 constant. The movement of the valve member 42 is limited Y agitates the water 22 sufciently to splash a certain by the stop pin 44 which extends into one of the slots 43. The valve members are supported in an externally threaded housing 45 which is mounted in a threaded aperture 46 in the top of the tank 40 and provided with a nut-like top shoulder 47 so .that the height of the valve member 43 may be adjusted relative to the tank 40 to vary the level of thewater in the tank. l

Preferably, the feed line 23 includes a relatively short upstanding branch line 48 (Figs. 2 and 5) which terminates in a topplatform mem-ber 49 having upstanding peripheral side flanges 50 which are adapted to receive a bottle or other supply vessel 51 for containing a liquid deodorant, disinfectant, or the like. The platform 49 is provided at its center with a sump or pocket 52 which is in communication with the branch line 48 and in which a quantity of the liquid deodorant 53 or the like is maintains the level of the liquid therein as small portions thereof are added to the water flowing through the line 23.

The apparatus is placed in operation by mounting the bracket or support plate 24 in a suitable aperture 55 in the bonnet 19 with the pan 21 and its associated fan mechanism positioned within the bonnet 19 in the upwardly moving stream of heated air so that at least some of the air passes through the bottom opening 29 and causes the fan 30 to rotate. The remainder of the apparatus including the valve 38 and the deodorant receptacle 51 are located exteriorly of the furnace andare supported by the bracket 24 andfthe connection with the water supply pipe 39. When the furnace is operating and air is delivered by the fan 16 to the heating section 12 of the furnace and thence to the bonnet 19 the pasf sage of the-air through theY bottom aperture 29 ofthe water pan 21 rotates the fan 30 and the splash foot 37 amount of the water up along the inside surface of the vertical wall 56 of the pan '21 where the air flowing outwardly of the fan 30 vaporizes the water or picks up the water particles and carries the same into the air stream which is delivered through the heating ducts. The water 22 is agitated .sutliciently to carry through the feed line 23 to the float tank 40 and the liquid disinfectant sump 52 which keeps the apparatus free of accumulations of lime or other salts which are ordinarily deposited in an apparatus of this type. The agitation of the water is sufficient also to maintain a supply of the liquid 53 in the sump 52 and to keep the oat valve clear and operating.

When the furnace in which it is desired to install the apparatus is of the downdraft type, the apparatus may be readily adapted for use in the same by merely reversing the supporting pin or shaft 32 on the fan 30 and inverting the fan so that the open side thereof is uppermost, the splash memberf37 being relocated so that it will extend into the water 22 in the pan. The downward ow of airjwill then operate the fan with the air being discharged outwardly of the periphery thereof and up along the inner surface of the side wall 56, suflicient water being picked up by the air to provide thedcsired amount of moisture. The fan 30 may ybe constructed so that a portion of the bottom will dip into the water 22 sufficiently to agitate the same without impeding the rotation of the fan and thereby cause the'splashing of the water which will permit the splash member 37 to be omitted.

In order to retard the return or downward ow of the water which is splashed upwardly along the inside surface of the upright wall 56 of the pan 21,the inside surface of the side wall 56 may be treated, as indicated at 57 in Fig. 2, to roughenthe same, or it may be given a coating of asphalt or other material which will retard the return ow of the water, or a screen or other similar element may be positioned adjacent the wall 56. While the water tank 21 is illustrated as in a level position in the apparatus, it may be tilted or otherwise arranged so that the fan 30 operates in a plane at an angle to the level of the water 22. /This may be accomplished by supporting the fan 30 in a bearing which is at an angle to the. vertical and which will allow a portion of the fan to dip into the water at the bottom of its orbit and cause the agitation or upward splashing of the water which is required to render the apparatus most efficient. Referring to Fig. 6, there is illustrated a modification of the water vaporizng portion of the apparatus which is particularly adapted for use in a furnace of a downdraft or similar type. In this form of the apparatus a panr 60 is mounted in the furnace and supplied with water 61 by a supply line 62, which extends from the bottom of the pan 60, and associated apparatus which may be identical with the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2. The air driven fan 63 is mounted on a generally horizontal shaft 6'4 which is supported for free rotation in bearings 65 in the side walls 66 of the pan 60. The fan 63 and the water'pan 60 are located so that a moving current of air will .strike the fan at its periphery and through the blades 67v rotate the fan with the air being deflected outwardly of the fan and upwardly along the inner surfaces of the side walls 66. If required, a funnel or other air directing means may be employed to insure that a sucient volume of air is directed against the blades to rotate the fan. The fan dips into the water 61 at the lower portion of its orbit and agitates the water suiciently to splash the same up onto the side walls 66' where it is pickedV up by the moving body of air delivered from the fan.-v l

While` specific`details of' construction have been referredrto inv describing the illustrated forms of the ining side walls adapted to be supported in the furnace plenum casing or the like where it is in the moving current of heated air, a feed line connecting the receptacle to a ywater supply line,'means for controlling the flow of water in said feed line to maintain a quantity of water at a constant level in said receptacle, a member mounted for free rotation on a vertical axis and in proximity to the water level in said receptacle, said member extending adjacent to the side walls of the receptacle and having blades arranged to rotate the same when air is directed against their surfaces, means for directing at least some of the heated air into the member and against the surfaces of the blades to'rotate the same, said member having means to deflect the airV outwardly and cause it to pass over exposed portions of the inner side wall surfaces of the receptacle as it leaves the member, and an agitator device mounted on said member and extending into the Water for splashing some of the water onto said portions of the receptacle inner side wall surfacesl and into the deected air.

2. An automatic humidifier as recited in claim 1 and .said receptacle having means on its inner side wall surfaces to retard the ow of the water splashed thereon Yby said agitator device. Y

3. A humidifier for use with a circulating warm air furnace, comprising a water pan having upstanding walls, which pan is adapted to be positioned in the furnace where it is in the upwardly moving current of air heated by the furnace, means for supplying said pan with water at a constant level therein, an air driven cylindrical member rotatably mounted on a vertical axis above the water level in said pan, saidl cylindrical member having a vcentral passage for the air and peripherally spaced blades extending adjacent to the side Walls of the pan and 'arranged for rotating the member when a stream of air is directed against the same, anfopening in said pan beneath said air driven member providing a passageway for directing a rising stream of heated air to said air driven member, said air driven member having means to dey fleet the stream of air outwardly to the blades and through the periphery thereof, and means on said air driven member extending into the water in the pan to'agitate the water and cause particles of the water to be carried upwardly out of the ypan by said deected stream of air.

4. Arhumider for use with a circulating warm air furnace, comprising an open top water pan having upwardly directed side walls and adapted to be positioned mounted on a vertical axisbetween the pan and the ybaflie member, said rotatable member having blades which extend to adjacentthe side walls of the water pan inthe furnace where it is in a current of warm air provided by the furnace, means for supplying said pan with f water at. a constant level therein, a baiile member mounted in spaced relation above the water in said pan and which are arranged to be engaged by the stream'of air which is deected outwardly by saidV baffle member thereby to rotate said member and pass the air outwardly of the periphery of said member and a paddle depending from said rotatable member and 'extending below the surface of the water to agitate the water in the pan and cause particles of the water to be carried upwardly out of the pan by said deected stream of air. v

5. An automatic humidifier for use in a warm air furnace or the like, comprising a relatively shallow open top receptacle having peripheral side walls and adapted to be supported in the furnace where it is in a moving current of air heated by the furnace, a water feed line connecting the receptacle to a watery supply line, means for controlling the flow of water in said feed line to maintain a quantity of water at a constant level in said receptacle, a rotor mounted on a vertical axis for free rotation immediately above the water level in said receptacle, said rotor extending to adjacent the side walls of the receptacle and having peripherally spaced blade members arranged to cause rotation of the rotor when air is directed outwardly of the axis of rotation and against the surfaces thereof, a passageway for directingv at least some of the air heated by the furnace into the rotor to rotate the same, said rotor having an upper wall forming a baille arranged in opposed relation to the discharge end of said air passageway to deflect the air outwardly through the periphery of the rotorV and cause itto pass over the surface of the water as it leaves the rotor, and means on the rotor which extends finto the water and splashes portions of the wateronto the inner surfaces of said side Walls upon movement of the rotor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES'PATENTS 784,556 Gerdes Mar. 14, 1,073,259 Lloyd Sept. 16, 1913 1,389,804 Wrenn Sept. 6, 1921 1,587,277 Bolling June 1, 1926 1,733,101 Player Oct. 22, 1929 41,769,176 Collins JulyV 1, 1930 1,912,480 Houlis June Y6, 1933 2,012,508 Halstead Aug. 27, 1935 2,155,070 Wolley Apr. 18, 1939 2,324,629 Kelsey July 20, 1943 2,341,771 Hagnar Feb. 15, 1944 2,577,302 Bert Dec. V4, 1951 2,678,810 Chandler May 18, A1954 

